Origins
by astronomygirl85
Summary: Third installment in the Enigma series. Marissa's hidden past is revealed in this exciting new crossover with a galaxy far, far away. A new threat from an old enemy threatens to destroy everything Marissa holds dear. Her friendships, loyalties, and even a budding romance are at stake.
1. Memories Relived at Night

Hello again, everyone out there. I'm back with another Avengers story. Hope you enjoy this very intriguing crossover with that galaxy far, far away. This is the third story in my Enigma series. The unanswered questions about Enigma's past will be answered. So, here we go…

Disclaimer: Any characters or places that you recognize are the property of Marvel and Lucasfilm (both conveniently owned by Disney). I am just borrowing the characters for your reading entertainment.

Origins

Chapter One:

Memories Relived at Night

New York City

February 2013

"By the power vested in me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife," the justice of peace announced to the couple standing before him. "You may kiss your bride."

Marissa Hermann, codename Enigma, looked on as her two best friends in the whole world shared their first kiss as a married couple. Natasha Romanoff, the infamous Black Widow, offered her a rare smile and an even rarer hug, Clint Barton, known to the world as Hawkeye, shook hands with the other witness in attendance after they signed the marriage license. Steve Rogers offered the man a pat on the pack and hearty congratulations before he turned to the ladies.

"Congratulations, Natasha. I wish you happiness."

"Stop being so formal, Cap," Tasha admonished him. "But thanks anyway."

Marissa spared a glimpse at Steve, Captain America. When he wasn't the Star Spangled Man with a Plan, he still cut a strong figure in a polo shirt and khakis. A tingle of heat wormed its way down her spine as she drank in his image.

"I know that look, Enigma," Clint whispered to her. "You are lusting after the Cap."

"Go whisper sweet nothings in your wife's ear," Marissa snapped softly at him.

Clint didn't take the bait. "You know what, maybe Nat and I need to lock you in a broom closet, see what happens. Or force you to admit your feelings, like you did to us in Alabama."

"Lock me in a broom closet and you might not have all of your limbs when I find you."

Clint just grinned wider and moved back to Natasha. He whispered something to her.

"We'll see you two later. Don't get into anything we wouldn't," Natasha waved at them with a coy smirk.

"What was that about?" Steve asked as the newlyweds left the courthouse.

"Nothing," Marissa said quickly. "So, we have time before we have to be back to the tower. What do you want to do?"

"It's just after two. Neither one of us got to eat lunch."

"Sounds good to me. How about some pizza?"

"Cajun?"

"You got hooked on Cajun food when we were in Louisiana!" Marissa exclaimed, recalling their first mission to locate stolen chemicals in Leesville.

"I liked the jambalaya," Steve admitted with a grin.

"Okay, so Pierre's on third?"

"That sounds good to me," Steve said as his stomach rumbled.

Marissa chuckled in spite of herself. "Okay, let's get you fed, Cap." She grabbed his hand and led him to her baby. Her car was a 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500 convertible. It was a gift to her by Professor Charles Xavier. "A unique car for a unique individual," he had told her.

"I really need to modify her a little. I just might ask Stark for his input on the technology."

"Might?" Steve echoed her as he got in the passenger seat.

"I'll think about it. Or just ask JARVIS."

"That's more like you," he commented as Marissa pulled out of the parking garage.

"Funny how well you know me," she commented mostly to herself.

"Yet sometimes I feel like I don't know you at all," Steve added turning in his seat to look at her. "I don't know anything about your childhood. Do you have any siblings? What do you do for fun? What did you want to be when you grew up?"

"What childhood? Marissa retorted. "Mine ended when I was five."

"Five?"

"My parents were killed, and I was put into Hydra by Baron Zemo. You know all too well how vile Hydra is."

"I have a few ideas," Steve commented. "Do you remember anything about your life before Hydra?"

Marissa thought for a moment. "I loved anything to do with space. I wanted to be an astronaut. I remembered watching a space shuttle launch."

"You were a dreamer," Steve commented. "I always wanted to be a soldier like my parents. I got my wish, but it wasn't what I expected."

"Yeah, I read your file after I found you in the ice. You were the figurehead for the war bond effort?"

"I was serving my country. That was all that mattered."

"That I can understand. Duty. Honor. Sacrifice."

"Yeah."

The rest of the ride was silent.

_The night was foggy. Marissa wasn't sure what was going on, but she was scared. She was in an unfamiliar place, but it felt comfortable. It was as if she should know where she was. She was crying in a corner, clutching her favorite toy. She was just a child. She didn't know what was going on._

_There were shouts and cries of terror around her. Marissa cried harder. Someone raced toward her. "It's okay, Rissi. I'll take care of you."_

_It was another girl, a few years older with flaming red hair and eyes green as emeralds. She put her arms around Marissa and tried to keep her silent._

_Marissa felt safe with this girl. Was it her sister? She cried silently as she clutched her stuffed bear._

_Then, there was a great loud explosion. A shadowy, evil man shrouded in black approached from the explosion. A strange looking man with a red face followed. Marissa and her sister knew these strange men were bad._

_Her sister pushed her back into the corner. She shouted something and tried to fight. Then, she calmed down and let the men take her. _

_Marissa felt strangely sleepy. As she closed her eyes, she heard a deep cackling laugh…_

Marissa bolted awake from the dream. She knew the man with the red face. Red Skull, Baron Johann Schmidt, was the man who helped train her to become Enigma. He was the one who took her from her real parents.

But who was the black shadowy man? Baron Zemo? Where was she? It had to be some repressed memory from her past. It felt too real to be a fantasy. She had too many questions. She wouldn't be getting any more sleep until she mulled these thoughts over.

Marissa pulled a robe over her sleepwear and padded out barefooted to the kitchen she and Steve shared. She heard moans coming from Steve's room. Apparently, she wasn't the only one having nightmares.

She scrambled to his room and peeked into the doorway. Steve had thrown off his covers, leaving his bare chest covered in a thin sheet of sweat. Marissa saw him thrashing about, muttering something about "taking it in to the water."

She realized he was reliving the day he crashed the Red Skull's jet into the water. She could relate. What the heck was that memory about she dreamed? She slipped inside.

"Steve?" she whispered as she approached his bedside, trying very hard to ignore the fact that he was bare chested and that the temperature had risen a few degrees since she entered.

"Steve?" she called again. "You're having a nightmare. Come on, wake up."

She sat down on his bed gently to not startle him. "Steve?"

"Marissa?" he muttered, still asleep. "No, I can't lose you, too."

_He doesn't want to lose me?_ Marissa echoed. What did he mean by that?

Marissa reached out and touched him on the arm. "You won't lose me, Steve. Not if I can help it. You've got to wake up though." She gave his arm a shake. "Come on, Steve. Open those eyes. I'm still here."

"No, don't leave me."

"Steve!" she said a little louder, gripping his arm tighter. "I'm right here!"

He bolted awake. "Marissa?"

"I'm here, Steve. You were having a nightmare. I heard you and came to check on you."

"I'm sorry. You didn't have to do that."

"It's okay. You would've done the same for me. Besides, I had a nightmare too. More like reliving a bad memory. What about you?"

"The day I went under." He seemed reluctant to elaborate. "I lost everyone that I loved. I don't want to lose another person I care for. Not if I can help it."

Marissa smiled gently. "Don't worry. I'm not giving you up without a fight. You're stuck with me, Cap."

That broke the ice. They continued to talk well into the night about their nightmares until they fell asleep once more, this time in each other's arms.

This time, the nightmares stayed away.

Author's Note:

Ooh, a little Cap/Enigma moment there! Budding romance or trouble brewing for these two? Only I know, and I'm not ready to share yet. Next up, you find out who the mysterious sister is. Any guesses who she could be?


	2. Stray Memories, Stray Passengers

After a bit of a wait, here is chapter two. I apologize for the delay.

Chapter Two:

Stray Memories, Stray Passengers

Border of the Unknown Regions

_Wild Karrde_

14 years ABY

_Sounds of blaster fire erupted outside. Five year old Mara Jade was awakened by the cries of a toddler. A woman walked into her room. She thrust the crying toddler into her arms._

"_Protect your sister, Mara. Don't worry about us." _Sister? Did I have a little sister?

"_Okay."_

_Mara backed her and her sister into a corner. Her sister was still sobbing. She locked the door and went back to her sister. "It's okay, Rissi. I'll take care of you," she soothed the crying toddler._ I don't remember any of this.

_She put her arms around the girl. She looked down at her sister. Her fire swept hair was disheveled from sleep. Her eyes were as green as Mara's own. Her sister clutched her stuffed Ewok close to her._

_There was a small explosion behind her and the door opened. A man cloaked in shadowy black entered, followed by a man with a very red, horrid face. These people were pure evil. Mara could sense it as well as her toddler sister._

"_Leave us alone! You can't take me or my sister!"_

"_You have fire, child. I will train you as my Hand."_

"_No!" Mara yelled as she moved to fight the shadow man._

_The men just laughed. Then Mara felt strangely calm. She stopped fighting the shadowy cloaked man. "I'll come with you, Master," she said docilely._

"_Good. Good." The shadowy man took her sleepy sister and handed her to the man with the red face. _

Mara snapped awake from the nightmare—memory. She had never before dreamed about the day Emperor Palpatine took her from her family. Was that even a real memory? She couldn't remember if she had a sister or not? What planet was she even on when the emperor took her? Who was the man with the red face in her dream? Was her sister even alive?

Mara had too many questions. Yet, she somehow sensed that this dream was important. The Force was trying to tell her something.

Stang. That meant that she would have to talk to Skywalker about her dreams. Surely, he would have some sage advice for her.

Along with irritating her to Kessel and back to finish her Jedi training…

_Come on, you know you miss him_, her subconscious argued with her.

_Yeah, like I miss a blaster burn to the brain_, she argued back.

Okay, she admitted to herself, Luke Skywalker was a close friend even though five years ago her greatest desire was to put a blaster bolt through his heart. She had had many opportunities to kill him, but she never could. He had gotten to her, befriended her, and started training her in the ways of the Jedi.

Of course it helped that he was fairly easy on the eyes. He was stocky with baby blue eyes and sandy blonde hair. There was a farmboy innocence to him that endeared him to her even more. She often wondered what it would be like to run her fingers through his blonde hair.

Okay, she mentally shook herself, enough with that train of thought. Mara pulled on her boots and ran her hands through her flaming red hair. She walked out of her quarters on the _Wild Karrde _made it to the bridge.

Talon Karrde was at the command seat. He turned as she walked in. "Mara, sleep well?"

"Not really. So, what's on the agenda today?"

"A few routine drop offs before we head to Coruscant. We're meeting our first client at these coordinates in half an hour."

"Okay."

Mara settled down at the conn station and waited.

"Got a ship coming out of hyperspace. Looks like our contact has arrived a few minutes early," Aves announced from the sensor station.

Mara shifted in her seat. Something wasn't quite right here. Her danger sense was prickling, a warning in the Force.

"Mara?"

"I feel some kind of danger, nonspecific. I can't tell you anymore than that." Mara stretched out with the Force further. She was picking up on…

Another Force sensitive!

"Another Force sensitive," she mumbled to herself loud enough that Karrde picked up on it.

"Hostile?"

"Indifferent."

"Interesting."

Yeah, Mara thought. Interesting.

"Our sensors identify it as the _Elixir of Dreams_, captained by Mylos Abrohan. That's our man," Aves said.

"He's trying to contact us," Dankin announced.

"_Wild Karrde_, this is Captain Abrohan of the _Elixir of Dreams_. Do you read me?"

"This is the _Wild Karrde_, Captain Karrde speaking. We are approximately three lightyears from our exchange point on Minos Three. I'll send you the nav coordinates."

"Roger that, Karrde. Coordinates received. See you in a few minutes. Abrohan out."

"Well, he wasn't the Force sensitive," Mara replied. "I didn't sense any alarm from him. I think he has sensed my presence. He just doesn't seem to care."

"A dangerous type then. Think Skywalker knows anything about him?"

"I don't know. I don't recognize his Force signature either."

"Well, let's get going then. Take the helm, Dankin. Get us back to base."

"Aye, Karrde."

"Welcome to Minos Three, Abrohan. I am Talon Karrde. Allow me to introduce you to my second in command, Mara Jade."

"Pleasure. This is my second, Haggis Melvis."

Mara's Force sensitivity did not pick up on any ill intentions from them. "Pleasure to make your acquaintances, gentlemen." She turned to Karrde. "If you'll excuse me, I'll find Lachton and Torve. They'll help get those old hyperdrives unloaded."

Karrde nodded. "Join me later in the main room when you have the time."

Mara nodded. "Will do."

She walked out of the hangar bay. She easily found Lachton by the _Wild Karrde_. He was putting away a hydrospanner.

"Hey, Jade!" Lachton greeted her with a grin. "Need a hand?"

"I could use your help unloading those hyperdrives. Where's Torve?"

"He's replacing one of the power cells that blew out on the aft gun."

"Find him."

"Aye, aye, Jade."

Lachton took off inside the ship with a wide grin. Mara shook her head. His enthusiasm was going to get him into serious trouble one day.

Mara's danger sense pricked. She stretched out with the Force, and picked up her wayward Force sensitive nearby and ducked just in time to miss a flying piece of durasteel that would have knocked her senseless.

"You're a Jedi!" a distinctly masculine voice hissed.

"Show yourself! You know I can sense you. I'll find you whether you want me too or not."

"Prove it, Jedi. Find me."

_This is a game to him!_ Mara realized. _Fine, I'll play._ Mara fell into the Force, sensing the man's location easily. She walked intentionally in his direction. Ten feet away…five…

Mara had her lightsaber in her hand just in time to deflect a yellow blade. The blade belonged to a young man about her age. He was average in looks and height. Hardly worth her attention except for the Force presence that he taunted her with.

Mara kept on the defense, not wanting to give him the real fight he wanted. She simply blocked and parried, she could easily sense his irritation and frustration with her.

"Fight me, Jedi! I can sense you know how to fight. Why won't you?"

"A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack," Mara told him with an internal grin as she heard Luke quoting the same to her some time ago.

"What good is it to have these powers if you can't use them whenever or however you want?"

"Because these powers we have come with great responsibility. It is our responsibility to use them to better the galaxy."

"But how am I going to learn how to use my powers responsibly if I don't use them when I want?"

"Go to Yavin Four. A friend of mine has a Jedi academy. He will teach you to control your powers. Teach you how to use the Force."

"You mean Skywalker?"

"Yes, Skywalker will teach you how to be a Jedi."

"Okay. I'll give it a try."

Mara refrained from giving the man another one of Luke's platitudes. There is no try, only do, she could hear him saying. "Good deal," she said, deactivating her lightsaber. "By the way, where'd you get the lightsaber?"

"I bought it from a dealer. Had no idea what she had."

"So, why did you stow away aboard the captain's ship?"

"Trying to get away from home to find someone to help me."

"And a smuggler's ship was the best transport you could find?"

"I couldn't afford the fee for a transport."

"Well, I have a deal for you. Work with me for a few hours to unload some cargo and I'll give you the credits you need to get a transport to Yavin Four. You can work on your Force skills in the meantime."

"Deal. You never told me your name."

"It's Jade. Mara Jade."

"Grav Ybis."

"Follow me, Grav."

Author's Note:

Hhm, what's up with this Force sensitive? Are Marissa and Mara really sisters? Is the Force trying to tell her something? Tune in to find out!


	3. Birthday Surprises

Hello everyone. I apologize for the long delay in update for this story. Internet crashed and then I lost the flash drive this story was on. Eek! Poor Yoda. (Yes, I have a Yoda flash drive!) Good news, I found it. Here is a nice long chapter for you readers.

Chapter Three:

Birthday Surprises

March 2013

Location: SHIELD Headquarters, Washington, DC

Marissa walked into the main lobby, smiling slightly as she saw the SHIELD logo raised up as a statue in the middle of the lobby. She made it to the elevator. "Director Fury's office," she said as she entered.

"Confirmed," the elevator's AI announced.

Marissa took the silent ride to wonder why Fury wanted to see her in his office. Usually, when he wanted her for a mission, he contacted her via phone or conference at the Tower. This must be very important.

She stepped into the office. Very important indeed, she noticed as she walked inside. Maria Hill was standing to his left and Melinda May was on his right.

"Have a seat, Agent Hermann," Fury said.

"You wanted to see me, Sir?" Marissa asked as she took a seat.

"I have a mission for you. The only people who need to know are in this room."

"Yes, sir."

"Agent May, if you will."

"I noticed that there was a surplus of supplies heading to our base in Germany. Most of it was innocuous, food and medical support. Then, I took a closer look at those supply lists. There were micro codes hidden in the supply orders."

Melinda pulled up the data. "It looks completely innocent at first, just a few extra supplies for our agents. Until I noticed that the file was a lot bigger than it should. I ran a diagnostic algorithm and found the code."

"We have a serious leak in our security," Marissa said looking at the codes. "These are intelligence files. We have a mole."

"A very high ranking rat in our midst," Fury said. "Since you have the ability to sense deception with those mutant powers of yours, I want you to look in to this. Find our leak."

"Yes, sir."

"When you do find the leak," Maria Hill spoke up, "infiltrate and stay undercover until you are extracted."

"So, I will have to betray my friends and pretend to be a traitor as well?"

"Do you have a problem with that, Agent Hermann?"

"No, sir. Not at all." Marissa paled. This would not be good at all.

"Get in any way you can. Make no reports whatsoever."

Fury and Hill continued to discuss the mission with her for a few moments longer before they dismissed her.

Marissa was very unsettled about her mission, but she would do it. She would find the mole in SHIELD.

She just got the feeling that it went a lot deeper than even Fury suspected.

Marissa planned her strategy out as she drove back to Avenger Tower. She thought out each move she could use to draw out her potential mole. She needed to act out against protocol, stay cold. She needed—

She needed to become the Hydra agent she used to be.

Great, just great.

Steve was waiting for her when she walked into the Avengers Tower. "Grab your gear, we have a mission."

"Okay. What's it about?"

"Insertion into a hostile environment."

"Hostiles?'

"Six, maybe seven."

"Mission objective?"

"Distraction for a few hours."

"Really?" She looked at her friend. His face was a mask. She couldn't get a read on him that way. She stretched her senses outward.

_Anticipation. Nerves. Excitement. Amusement?_

Marissa shook her head. "You're hiding something. I know it."

"Are you always so suspicious of everyone?"

"I'm a spy, Steve. It's my job."

Steve just shrugged and kept walking. _Now I know he's hiding something._

Marissa frowned. "Why are we distraction?"

"I don't know."

"What is the real mission?"

Marissa and Steve arrived at the entrance to the common area. Marissa turned to him when he didn't answer right away. "Well?"

"Okay. You're right. There's another mission." He opened the door.

"Surprise!" yelled seven people.

"Huh?" Marissa stood in shock.

"The real mission was to get you here to your birthday celebration without you bolting from us, Samurai," Tony Stark replied with a cheeky grin. "You didn't even realize today was your birthday, did you?"

"Today is my birthday, yes. And yes, I did know it. I am surprised because I have never celebrated my birthday. It's just another day to me."

"Well, then there is a first time for everything," Pepper Potts, the CEO of Stark Industries and Tony's girlfriend, smiled and handed her a glass of wine.

"The day that you are born, Lady Enigma, is always a day to celebrate," Thor exclaimed, his voice boomed through the room. He held a stein of some sort. "We have grand feasts to celebrate on Asgard."

"You have feasts for any reason," Marissa said with a grin. She was still awed by the sight of the man straight out of Norse mythology. She loved studying mythology when she was younger. To think, Thor Odinson was standing in front of her!

"You speak truth, Lady Enigma."

"Enough talking! Birthday celebrations need cake!" Tony interrupted.

"Please tell me neither one of you baked it," Marissa said.

"No one in this room baked it," Natasha said. "Besides you know that I can barely boil water."

"And I can barely tell the difference between sugar and salt," Clint added.

"True. He once added salt instead of sugar to his coffee. It was amusing to watch."

Clint shot his wife an irritated look.

"We specially ordered the cake for you," Pepper clarified for her.

Steve brought the cake out. "The puzzle piece was my idea."

"Naturally."

He lit the candles for her.

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Marissa. Happy birthday to you!"

"Blow out the candles!" Tony had a very cheeky grin.

Marissa blew out the candles. She grinned widely when she realized they were trick candles. "Funny, Stark."

"As much as I enjoy a good prank, it was not me this time."

"Clint?"

"Not I," he replied.

Natasha grinned. "I am the guilty party. "

Marissa shook her head. "I should have known."

She finally managed to blow out the candles as she glared at Natasha. "So, we eat cake now?"

"Yes. Then you get to open your presents!" Tony exclaimed.

"I think you're more excited than I am."

"I want to see your face when you open your gifts. Especially Clint and Natasha's."

"Okay," she dragged out as she accepted the cake knife from Steve.

They made idle chit chat as she evenly sliced the cake for everyone. "I wonder if you can use your powers to lift Thor's hammer," Clint pondered as he spooned the chocolate cake into his mouth.

"Don't know. I've never tried to lift anything that heavy before."

"I have told my brethren on Asgard about your abilities," Thor chimed in. "We have stories of people with abilities similar to yours. We call them Friedekrieger, Peace warriors."

"Interesting. I would like to hear more," Marissa replied as she focused on Mjolnir. "Only those who were worthy could lift Mjolnir, right?"

"Yes."

"So, I can't lift it with my hands because I am not worthy of your power. Let me try with my powers."

Thor sat Mjolnir on the table away from the cake.

Marissa focused on sending tendrils of pure energy to the hammer. She imagined the tendrils as hands or vines wrapping around the hammer. Slowly, she willed the vines to push upwards. She closed her eyes, narrowing her concentration and pushing the hammer even farther up in the air.

She heard a gasp from Pepper and opened her eyes. Mjolnir was floating six inches above the table. Marissa smiled and allowed the hammer to drop softly back onto the table with a clang. "Cool."

"Very cool indeed," Clint replied with a cheeky grin.

"Great! Now finish your cake. It's time for your presents!" Tony said, smiling like a child.

"Here, open ours first," Natasha said, handing her a neatly wrapped gift.

"I know you wrapped this, Nat. Too neat."

Marissa pulled off the tape and gently unwrapped the box, knowing full well that Tony was watching with agonizing anticipation.

When she saw the contents of the box, she glared death rays at Clint. "Barton! I am going to kill you! This was your lame brain idea. I know it."

Clint grinned as Marissa pulled out the T Shirt that had Cap's shield on it.

"Why would you give Marissa a T Shirt with my shield on it?" Steve asked, his eyebrows wrinkled in confusion.

"This, my friend, is what we call a gag gift," Tony explained to him.

"Oh," he replied.

"So, after Marissa threatened to murder my husband—you owe me ten bucks by the way, Clint—here is your real gift from us," Natasha said pulling another gift from under her seat.

Marissa took the gift. "Ooh, books! Homer, Shakespeare, The _Twilight_ series? Seriously?"

"You said you liked the movies," Clint said as Natasha nodded in agreement.

"True."

"Next gift!" Tony said as he pulled a long wooden box out. "Bruce and I collaborated on this, so it's from both of us."

Marissa opened the box. "A new katana?" she asked as she pulled out the sheathed sword.

"I managed to get hold of some vibranium like what the cap's shield is made out of."

"I was experimenting with adamantium and wondered if it were possible to fuse the two together. Tony and I managed to make an alloy of the two. We forged the katana from that alloy," Bruce Banner spoke up for the first time.

"JARVIS told me that the weight and size were perfectly balanced for you," Tony added. "Go ahead and try it out."

Marissa took the blade from the sheath and took a few steps back so that she had room to maneuver. She gave the katana a few test swings and twirls. "Nice. How sharp is it?"

"Sharp enough to cut through galvanized steel," Bruce answered.

"Ausgezeichnet!" Marissa exclaimed, sheathing the sword. "I love it you two. Danke."

"You're welcome," Tony beamed.

"Bitte sehr," Bruce echoed in German.

"My turn," Pepper announced, pulling a gift bag that sat next to her forward and handing it to Marissa. "Natasha told me that you love cucumber melon and strawberry scents so I bought you some bath oils and scented candles. I thought maybe you could pamper yourself every once in a while."

"Every girl has to pamper herself every once in a while," Marissa grinned. "I love it, Pepper."

"I'm sure Steve will, too," Marissa heard Clint whisper to Natasha.

Marissa glared at him. "You say something, Bird Brain?"

"Nope. Not a word."

"Sure," she deadpanned.

"I think I shall give you mine next," Thor said. "First, a story. I told my comrades in Asgard of your dilemma. The Allfather reminded me that we once had dealings with a group of people that we called Friedekrieger."

"Peace warriors," Marissa translated.

"They had powers similar to what you have described. We have not seen these warriors in hundreds of years, but they left some of their technology behind. What I give to you is a device that can only be utilized by a Friedekrieger. They called it a 'holocron.'"

"Holocron. Okay, do you know what it does?"

"I believe that it contains knowledge about their culture, their powers and how they utilized them."

"So, you think that I am a peace warrior?" Marissa asked.

"We won't know unless you try to use that holocron," Natasha said.

"Nat's right. Thank you, Thor."

"I guess the only one left is me," Steve said picking up the two boxes next to him. "My gifts are not as fancy as a holocron, but I think you'll like them."

Marissa took the first box and opened it. She pulled out a fine leather jacket. "A jacket with the German and American flags on it? And my name on the other side?"

"It's great for riding motorcycles. You told me once last year that you've never ridden a motorcycle. I thought maybe you would like to take a ride with me on mine one time. That's what the other gift is about."

"The other one? It's a helmet right?" she asked as she opened up the other box. The helmet matched the jacket perfectly. "Steve, I can't believe you remembered that. It's so thoughtful. Thank you, Steve." She pulled him into a tight hug.

_ Good Lord, he smells so good!_ Marissa thought as Steve pulled her tighter. She could feel how taut his muscles were against her. It felt right to be in his embrace. It terrified her how safe she felt in Steve's arms.

Her cell phone beeped, ending the moment. She pulled out of his arms and looked at her phone.

_Mission. One hour to pack and report to airstrip. Briefing en route to destination. Pack for three days. Destination: Athens, Greece._

"Fury's such a party pooper," she muttered. "Happy birthday to me. I have a mission."

"I'll help you pack." Steve jumped up to follow her.

_Okay…_ Marissa thought in confusion as he walked into her room behind her. _You don't have to help me, Steve._

"I really don't need your help, Steve," she commented as she pulled out her bag.

"I know that," he replied.

Marissa turned around and got a face full of Steve's broad chest. _Whoa, there!_

"Do you know where you're heading?"

"Greece. I was told to pack for three days. That's all I know."

"Be careful, okay?"

"Yeah," Marissa said. Steve hadn't moved away from her. The chemistry was oozing out of them. She could feel her hands trembling. _Mein Gott._

Before she could react, Steve's lips were on hers. Steve was kissing her for real and not for the sake of an assignment. Oh, God, she was enjoying it. Electricity and heat formed in her lower stomach, and her brain was turning into mush.

She was terrified.

She realized that her hands were full of Steve's shirt and that she had pulled him closer to her. She let go and pushed him away roughly. "What the hell was that?" she asked.

"I'm pretty sure that was a kiss," Steve replied.

"I know what a kiss is, thank you very much. What I meant was where the hell did that come from? Who gave you the right to do that?"

"You know what? I don't know. I was living in the moment. You are a very attractive woman and I couldn't resist kissing you again. You felt something too, didn't you? I know you did."

Good, God. How could he read her so well? Marissa thought, absolutely stupefied as her brain started to work again. And that left her absolutely livid that a man could have such an effect on her.

"You don't know me at all. Of course I felt something, you kissed me remember? I told you years ago that I'm not capable of dealing with my feelings. That hasn't changed."

"Why?" Steve asked, now as furious as she was. "Because you're too scared to admit that you might just care for someone more than just a friend?"

Damn you for hitting the mark, Marissa thought viciously. "Get out!"

With an expression kin to a wounded animal, Steve stepped out of her room. He nearly bowled Natasha over on his way out. "Everything okay?" she asked.

"Why don't you ask her?" he shot back, pointing over his shoulder at Marissa.

She glared at his retreating figure. Natasha looked between the two of them. Coming to a quick decision, she closed the door and faced her friend. "What happened?"

Marissa turned away and started pulling out clothes. "I don't want to talk about it, Tasha."

"You know that line won't work on me. I have ways of making you talk as you very well know."

"Why aren't you torturing Steve for comments?" she retorted as she folded a pair of jeans and placed them in her bag.

"That is what Clint's doing right now. I know you better, Marissa. What happened between the two of you that has you tied up in knots?"

Marissa dropped the shirt she was holding into the bag. "He kissed me."

"And that made you mad enough to yell at him?" Natasha asked, perplexed.

"I wasn't mad," Marissa said picking up another shirt. "That's the problem. I liked it. Too much. I couldn't think. I was just acting on impulse."

"You were scared."

"Yes."

"So was I at first. I fell in love with Clint long before you forced us to admit it to each other. I was terrified of how much control he had over me. Just one smile and I would melt inside. Falling in love is terrifying, but you learn that love makes you stronger."

"This from the woman who told Loki that 'Love is for children,'" Marissa replied with Natasha's slight accent.

"I was wrong." Natasha smiled at her friend. "I'll leave you to finish packing."

Marissa watched her friend walk out. She had a lot of thinking to do while she was off on her mission. And an apology to make.

She grabbed her old katana, a Glock nine mil, and a knife to pack with her. She also grabbed her passport just in case and zipped up her bag.

Pepper was in the living room when she walked out. "All set?"

"Yeah. Where did Steve go?"

"I don't know. JARVIS, where is the captain?"

"Captain Rogers is in the training room," JARVIS replied.

"Record this message for me. Deliver it when he returns to his room."

"Yes, Miss Hermann. Recorder activated."

"Steve, I'm sorry I pushed you away. We'll talk when I get back. That's a promise. See you soon."

Marissa pulled her bag over her shoulder and walked out of Avengers Tower.

Author's Note: Well, that explains the cliffhanger from _Lessons from the Past_. This correlates with the TV show _Agents of SHIELD_. If you watch that show, you know what's going down. If not, check it out on Netflix or Amazon Prime. Next chapter, we head back to the _Star Wars _galaxy and Mara. More characters are introduced as well. Cheers!


	4. Visions of Asgard

Hello again, my friends. Here we are with another chapter of "Origins." Back to the galaxy far, far away we go. More of our favorite characters are here! Happy reading!

Chapter Four:

Visions of Asgard

Minos III

14 ABY

Three Months Later

Mara's comm. station was blinking when she walked into her quarters. _Who else knows I'm here besides my colleagues?_

She activated the holorecording. Luke's image appeared on the screen. _Of course, _she thought with a faint smile.

"Mara, I hope this message finds you well. I have some news that you should hear, and I don't feel comfortable sharing it with you on an unsecured comm. channel. I feel as if this news is important enough to tell you in person. Call it a prodding of the Force. I hope to see you soon."

Mara shuddered a little. Luke was right. She needed to see him, to find out what was going on with her dreams. She might as well fly out to Yavin Four and hear what Luke had to say, and then seek his counsel about these dreams of hers.

She packed a bag with enough supplies to last the week long trip to Yavin Four from Minos Three. She left a message for Karrde that she needed to leave for an unspecified amount of time. Finally, she pulled her lightsaber from her locker. The smooth handle brought back memories. It had been a gift to her from Luke after they defeated C'Baoth, a mad Jedi clone that wanted to turn Luke to the dark side. He in turn had saved her from a trip down the dark side as well. He went from sworn enemy to trusted friend.

And maybe a little bit more?

Mara had heard from many of her colleagues that she and Luke made a good team when they were together. Mara protested because it seemed they spent what little time they had together since Wayland arguing with each other. How could they make a good team when they argued so much?

They were complete opposites. Mara preferred action while Luke wanted to wait on the Force to guide him to a solution. She was a raging fire of anger. He was the picture of a calm fountain. She was stone cold with her emotions. He was an open book. So, why did they work so well together?

"Trying to insert me into your life again, Skywalker?" she asked into the air as she clipped her lightsaber unto her belt. She pulled her bag over her shoulder and left her quarters.

"Got your message, Mara," Karrde said as she walked toward her ship. "Heading to Yavin Four to see Skywalker?"

"I'm not even going to ask how you know that," she replied.

"I know you, Mara. These dreams of yours have your head spinning. You need to talk to him. The job will still be here when you get back."

"I know. See you, Karrde."

Mara made the trek to her ship and took off within a half hour.

Yavin Four

One Week Later

The morning light bounced off the gas giant and bathed the Massassi grand temple in its glow. The jungle moon was already a cacophony of animal calls and birdsong. It would be a beautiful day.

Luke Skywalker, perched at top the temple, barely noticed. He woke with a troubled mind and needed the calm of the early morning to meditate and absorb himself into the Force.

He didn't know why he was so troubled, but for the last week, his thoughts had drifted to one person in particular. Mara Jade. He considered her a dear friend even though she once made it her mission in life to kill him. She was a very attractive woman, Luke could appreciate her beauty. She had fiery golden red hair like the sunsets on Tatooine. Her eyes shone like emeralds when she was content and froze harder than ice when angered. She moved with confidence and grace in every sense from lightsaber combat to the occasional glimpses he had seen of her dances.

Luke thoughts paused. Perhaps his troubled thoughts were about his feelings toward his dear friend. He recalled with amusement how he once pursued his own sister without knowing their relationship. He had not recognized his love for his twin, Leia Organa, as sibling love. He had been a mere child at the time. Now, he loved Leia and Han as family, as he did their children. Was his love for Mara as a friend, family, or more?

A vision floated before his senses. He saw one of his students fighting a woman with red gold hair. He recognized his student immediately. Grav Ybis, the reckless young man that Mara sent his way. But who was the woman Grav was fighting?

The woman turned as if to look at him. She bore a striking resemblance to Mara, but she was not wielding a lightsaber like Grav. She had some kind of metal sword in her hand. She was holding her own against Grav. There was an aura of darkness around both of them.

The planet they were on was also unfamiliar. There were weird looking speeders that stayed on the ground when they moved. No droids moved about, and he didn't see any ships in the distance. Who was this woman that so resembled Mara?

The vision shifted. Luke saw himself with Mara and several strangely clothed humans, one of them decked in a colorful uniform of red, white, and blue. He carried a circular shield in his hand. There was a feeling of sadness and betrayal from the strange humans.

He heard several times the words "Asgard" and "Midgard" but had never heard of those words before. Then, the visions faded and Luke was back to himself. The Force had shown him what he needed to see, but he was more confused.

There was a woman out there that resembled Mara, almost eerily like her. A clone? Then there was the strange planet and the strange words. Luke also felt a sense of urgency to the visions.

He checked his chrono. Mara should be arriving soon from the smuggling outpost. Luke decided he needed to share his visions with Mara, and they could figure out a course of action for his errant student and this doppelganger of hers.

He pushed his personal feelings aside. He had trust in the Force that all would work out in the end.

Mara jolted herself awake when her proximity indicator beeped. She was five minutes away from approaching the Yavin system. She wiped the sleep from her eyes and made preparations for the jump to normal space.

As she approached the moon, she picked up the homing beacon for Skywalker's academy. Immediately, a transmission broke through her commlink.

"Unknown vessel, this is Yavin Control. Please identify yourself."

Mara opened her comm. channel. "This is Mara Jade commanding the _Jade's Fire_. I request permission to land."

"Roger that Captain Jade. Permission granted to land. Follow the beacon in. Master Skywalker will meet you at the landing platform. Control out."

Mara closed the channel and guided her ship down towards the moon. Luke was indeed waiting for her when she lowered the landing struts and made a soft landing. His ever faithful droid was beside him. Some things never changed, Mara thought with a small grin as she shut down her vessel and exited.

She took those few moments as she descended the platform to study her friend. He was clothed in his usual black garb, but she could see the toned muscles and shoulders underneath. She vaguely wondered what it would be like to run her hands up and down those muscles but discarded it as fantasy. His features were still boyish, his hair bleached blonde by years in the Tatooine suns, but it was his eyes that held his maturity. Deep blue crystals that she could lose herself in if she didn't watch herself.

Luke had a welcoming smile on his face as she approached him, but underneath the surface, she could sense his uneasiness. She looked at him with uncertainty. He brushed it off.

"Hello, Mara. I'm glad you came so quickly."

"You sounded worried over the holonet. I had to come see what makes the great Jedi Master so uneasy," Mara said with a grin meant to put him at ease. How she loved to tease him, to push his buttons.

He didn't take the bait. "You'd better come inside then."

Now Mara was worried. "You said you didn't want to elaborate over the comm. What's going on, Luke?" She was mildly surprised that she addressed him by his first name.

"C'mon, Artoo." Luke acted as if he didn't even notice.

Mara followed him inside the temple. He didn't say much, nodding in acknowledgement as his students passed him was the only action she saw until they reached his quarters inside the temple.

Mara looked around at his sparsely decorated quarters. There was a table that held a few data cards and a datapad, cabinets for cookware, and a station that could scarcely be described as an oven. It was all so… empty.

"Expecting something more grandiose for the great Jedi Master?" Luke asked as he pulled out a chair.

"Not really. I knew that Jedi led a simple life." Mara sat down at the adjoining chair. "So, what's going on, Skywalker? Why'd you have me cross the galaxy for all of the secrecy?"

"The young man you sent to me three months ago, Grav Ybis, has run off. His intentions led toward the Dark Side. He was on a quest for power."

Mara took a moment to process that. "I can't say I'm not surprised. He felt that the Force was a tool. He was indifferent to the responsibilities that come with such a gift. I had hoped that by sending him to you that he would learn that discipline. I'm sorry that he failed to learn."

"Don't be," Luke said reaching to touch her hand. "You had good intentions. It was his choice to be led astray. Proddings from the Force are telling me that we haven't heard the last from him. I believe that he is connected to some disturbing visions that I have had. Visions that are connected to you."

"You had a vision about me? I'm touched," Mara quipped, though her uneasiness was starting to creep forward as well. The dreams she had about a sister that she barely remembered shot to the forefront of her mind once again.

"Mara, have you ever heard of places called Midgard or Asgard? Those two words kept surfacing in my visions."

Mara felt a stir of recognition at those names. "They do seem familiar…" She reached back to her earliest memories in the "care" of Emperor Palpatine. A man with a hideous red face filled her memory. He was discussing something with Palpatine. Myths from his world of great warriors, she recalled.

"_The warriors of Asgard are formidable_,_"_ the man was saying as he displayed a map.

"Mara?"

"I do know those worlds. A system of nine worlds with only one inhabited planet. Two civilizations, one vastly more advanced than the other. One was called Asgard and the other Midgard."

"Really?" Luke asked her. "Do you remember where this system was located?"

Mara drew deeper into her memories, trying to bring the map into focus. "I can't quite make it out. Seems like it's in a minor arm of the galaxy."

"Use the Force to augment your memories," Luke advised.

Mara pulled upon the Force and gathered it, trying to defog the map. Her eyebrows crinkled in frustration.

"Let me help you," Luke said

Luke's sense in the Force washed through Mara's awareness and mixed with hers. It was quite a shock to her system.

"Relax, Mara. Show me your memories."

Mara took a calming breath.

"_The warriors of Asgard are formidable. Centuries more advanced than their counterparts of Midgard. They use a kind of magic of their own to wield power and prestige,"_ the man with the hideous red face explained as he examined a star chart. _"They will not be conquered easily."_

"_They will work with me or they will be destroyed," Palpatine was saying. "Red Skull, you and your Hydra will be my vessel in which I will rule the galaxy. You will wait for my word, and then my domination will be complete."_

_Mara peeked over the console so she could get a better look at the star chart. She saw the location of Midgard before a wall of black blocked her._

"Did you see that?" Mara asked Luke.

"I think so." Luke took a breath. "I also had a vision of a woman that look eerily similar to you with a group of humans on a strange planet. I think it was Midgard or Asgard. She was wielding a strange sword. I think maybe she's a clone."

"Or my sister," Mara corrected. "I had a dream—a memory, I'm almost certain now—of that same man with a red face and the emperor taking me and a toddler from our home. I called her 'Rissi.' I also remembered someone telling me to protect my little sister."

"That makes more sense than a clone. Maybe this woman and the toddler in your dream is the same person."

Mara nodded. "This could be a delicate situation. Leia should go with us to smooth over things diplomatically."

"Han will want to go along too."

Mara sighed. One big happy family. "I guess that settles it. Think you can pry yourself away from your responsibilities as Jedi Master?"

"Think you can get away from your grand job as second in command to the largest smuggling conglomerate in the galaxy?"

"It's a date."

"C'mon, Artoo. Let's see what info we can dig up on Asgard and Midgard."

Artoo-Detoo trilled and beeped in excitement.

Imperial City

Coruscant

"The warriors of Asgard? They are legendary for their prowess in battle!" Leia Organa Solo exclaimed as she talked to her twin via the holonet. "They are stronger than average and wield their own Force like abilities to fight. Asgard is like a giant kingdom above Midgard. Asgardians travel to Midgard by a beam of energy called the 'Bifrost.' No one has ever been able to replicate that technology."

"I think she's excited about going to Asgard," Leia heard Mara retort to Luke on the other side.

"Mara? What is your interest in Asgard and Midgard?" she asked.

Mara gave her a brief explanation of her dream and Luke's vision.

"A younger sister? I think that's great. You should try and find her."

"We think this might be a delicate situation with whatever this Hydra and its leader on the loose. I think,"

"We both think," Mara interrupted.

"We both think you and Han should go with us."

"You know where Asgard is?" Leia asked in disbelief.

"Yes. A very early memory of mine when Palpatine had me."

"I always wondered if the legends of Asgard were true. I want to see this for myself. I'm sure Han would, too."

"Han would what?" Han Solo asked from behind her. "Hey Luke."

"Hey Han. Ever heard of the warriors of Asgard?"

"Sure," Han replied. "Thought they were just a myth. No one knows where the planet is though. Why? Your Jedi hocus pocus tell you something?"

"We think my sister is on Asgard," Mara interrupted. "Wipe that look off of your face, Solo. It came as a surprise to me too, but it's true. Luke and I have both seen her in visions. So you interested in coming to Asgard or not? We have the location."

"Are you on your way to Coruscant?" Han asked.

"The _Jade's Fire _will be in system in five hours."

"We'll be ready then," Leia said. "Talk to you both soon."

"Well, that was interesting," Han replied after Leia signed off.

"Yeah, Luke and Mara found Asgard."

"No, when did Mara start calling Luke by his given name instead of 'Skywalker'?"

"Hush," Leia scolded him gently. "You're reading too much into nothing. They are good friends."

"So they tell each other. I think there's more to it than friendship."

"Whatever you say, dear." Leia smiled at her husband. "Well, let's get started. I need to find Winter so she and Chewie can watch the kids while we're gone."

"Yeah. I'll head out to the _Falcon_. The alluvial dampeners are on the fritz again."

Han pressed a kiss to Leia's forehead and left their quarters.

Leia took a moment to process what Han had said. She had brushed him off when he mentioned Luke and Mara's friendship, but now that she had a moment to reflect on their actions while she was talking to them…

Han may not be Force sensitive or a politician, but sometimes he could read people better than she.

Author's Note:

Well, looks like the meeting of two worlds is imminent. Next chapter we head back to Earth and the Avengers. Watch out, Hydra comes calling!


	5. The Snake in the Nest

Yeesh, long absence from this story. Sorry folks out there if you're still reading. C'est la vie. My mom spent five days in the hospital. I've been doing her job and my own. I'm so tired in the afternoon that I fall asleep as soon as I get home. So, this story has suffered my sad life. Let's get this back on track, shall we?

Chapter Five

The Snake in the Nest

San Francisco, California

Two days later

After back to back missions in Greece, Paris, and Dubai, Marissa received five days of rest and recreation before her next assignment. She had a Quinjet drop her off in New Mexico. She rented a car and drove to San Francisco.

For a few hours, Marissa allowed herself to play tourist. She took a stroll through Chinatown and bought a jade pendant as a souvenir. She enjoyed kung pao chicken and lo mein noodles at a local restaurant. The waitress was tickled when Marissa asked for chopsticks.

"I haven't used chopsticks since I was in Shanghai several years ago," Marissa told her as she skillfully wrapped the noodles around her chopsticks.

She took some pictures of the bay from atop the mountains. She also had an impressive shot of the Golden Gate Bridge as the sun sat. She watched men tossing fish back and forth at Fisherman's Wharf. Marissa found herself wondering what Steve would think about this city. Would he enjoy watching the sun set behind the Golden Gate Bridge?

She was lost in her thoughts as she strolled through Golden Gate Park, letting the shade trees work their magic on her. She was relaxed.

That was when she noticed via her own little spidey sense that she was being followed. And she knew who her pursuer was, or at least the presence was familiar.

Marissa walked a little further, keeping herself completely calm and relaxed. She looked around at the trees as if admiring the buds and inhaling the scents around her. Inwardly, she focused on making her presence as small as possible from her pursuer. She duck behind a tree and waited. She pulled her Glock from her back and clicked the safety off.

The person came closer and closer. Marissa could hear leaves crushing under boots. She could practically hear the person's breathing. She waited until the person was in sight.

She lunged ahead, Glock aimed for the head.

She was mildly surprised when the person kicked it away. It landed three feet to her right. Marissa's instincts kicked into high gear. She landed a cross cut to the man's shoulder then ducked under his swing. She grabbed his arm and flipped him over.

She moved to jab him in the neck with her hand, but to her surprise once again, the man didn't try to prevent the attack. He laughed.

"Ah, Enigma, you always loved playing hard to get!" he laughed.

Marissa recognized him immediately. "Dieter Himmel? Was soll das heiβen? You know better than to try and sneak up on me!"

"Nichts für ungut, Marissa. Just all in good sport."

Marissa grabbed her gun. "You were always a terrible liar, Dieter. Why were you following me?"

"I heard from our friends that you were in town. Word was that you are with SHIELD now, that you had turned. I had to see for myself."

"And why do our friends think that?" Marissa asked, knowing that "our friends" meant Hydra.

"You have been seen in DC with several SHIELD members, most impressively the Avengers."

"All true. Black Widow and Hawkeye found me in Germany. They were the ones that recruited me. Consequently, I met the rest of the Avengers."

"So, it is true. You really defected from the true power."

Dieter moved to attack her again. He didn't get very far before Marissa had him pinned against an oak. When she spoke, her voice was cold and calculating. "What makes you think I ever defected?" she held her gun at Dieter's temple. "Tell our friends two words from Enigma and they'll understand perfectly: Verräter Richtlinie. Got it?"

"Ja. I'll tell them. Will you take the gun off now?"

Marissa grinned ruefully and holstered her Glock. "You are lucky that I left my katana in my hotel room." She released her hold on him.

"Richtig," Dieter said rubbing his neck. "It was good to see you again, Enigma. We will see each other soon." He moved closer to her. "Hail Hydra."

"Hail Hydra," Marissa echoed, hating the very words she spoke. "I return to DC tomorrow. I'll keep my cover up with the Avengers."

They parted ways. Marissa decided to head back to her hotel room. There was a box on the table addressed to Enigma, her codename. Marissa scanned the box thoroughly before opening it. A burn phone and a note were inside.

_Verr__ä__ter Richtlinie confirmed. Upon return to DC, you will be escorted by loyal friends to meet with leadership. Hail Hydra._

Marissa disposed of the letter and pocketed the burn phone. She sat down on her bed and stared into empty space for a while. She knew what the leak was in SHIELD, but did it have to be Hydra? Marissa had been running from Hydra since 2005. Now she was walking back into the viper's nest willingly. Talk about full circle.

Marissa fell asleep that night to nightmares of her past.

Jasper Sitwell met her at the Triskelion when she returned from San Francisco. "Agent Sitwell, how good to see you again." _He's Hydra? How high up do they go in SHIELD?_

"Agent Hermann, how was your trip?"

"Refreshing. I bought a few souvenirs for _my friends_." Marissa emphasized the last part on purpose.

"Our leader has an important assignment for you. Follow me, and I'll take you to him."

Sitwell and Marissa walked to the elevator. "Administration," Sitwell ordered.

"Confirmed."

Marissa was anxious to figure out how high the corruption was. She kept her face impassive, a stone mask of indifference. She stepped out of the elevator and followed Sitwell to a conference room.

A man sat in the shadows. "Seal the room. Nothing gets out."

"Yes, sir," Sitwell said, pressing a button. The conference room went into SCIF mode. "Time to shine some light on the situation?"

"Indeed," the shadowed man said.

Marissa saw him flip a switch.

She flinched inwardly when she saw the man appear.

It was the Secretary of the World Security Council, Alexander Pierce.

_Damn, _Marissa thought. _The corruption couldn't get much higher than Pierce._

"Mister Secretary, it is an honor to meet you," Marissa bowed her head in greeting.

"You are surprised, Agent Hermann? Born March 15, 1987 in Sandhoffen, Germany. Adopted as an infant by the Hydra operatives Kristoff and Else Hermann. Rescued by Baron Zemo at age five when your parents were killed in a car wreck. Trained to be the right hand of vengeance for Hydra. Given the code name 'Enigma' by Zemo himself."

"You know everything about me. Of course. Did you plug my name into Armin Zola's algorithm?"

"You know about Zola's algorithm?" Sitwell asked.

"She's knows a lot, Agent Sitwell. She was trained by Zemo and Red Skull."

"Red Skull? But he's dead."

"No," Marissa said with a sly grin. "He's just in deep hiding."

"And now you are in deep with the Avengers. They consider you a friend, don't they?"

"Some more than others," Marissa said thinking of Steve Rogers.

"Even better," Secretary Pierce replied.

"You have an assignment for me, Sir?"

"Yes. I want you to put your various computer skills to use. I want you to create a false trail of accounts leading to Director Fury. I want it to look like Fury himself is selling SHIELD secrets to the enemy. It is time for Hydra to come out of the shadows and into the light."

"Hail Hydra!" Sitwell announced.

"Hail Hydra!" Marissa and Pierce echoed.

Marissa left the conference room angry. Why did Pierce have to choose her to plant the false evidence that pointed to Fury?

"Because you are the only one that's good enough to do it," Marissa told herself as she rode the elevator to the lobby and made her way to her beloved Mustang.

She cursed her job all the way back to Avengers Tower in New York.

"Miss Hermann, welcome back to Avengers Tower," JARVIS, Tony Stark's AI, announced as she walked into the building.

"Vielen Dank, JARVIS," Marissa said. "Who's home today?"

"Mister Stark, Miss Potts, and Thor are all in attendance today. Will there be anything else, Miss Hermann?"

"Not now."

Marissa took the elevator to the living quarters. "JARVIS, I do have one question. Did Steve see the message I recorded for him the last time I was here?"

"Affirmative. I believe he left you a handwritten note on your bedroom table."

"Old fashioned note. Das sieht ihm ganz ähnlich," Marissa smiled.

She walked into her room and found her note from Steve.

_Marissa,_

_You're right. We do need to talk. I know I shouldn't have pushed you to admit your feelings. You'll tell me when you're ready. I know enough about you to know that. I am not sorry I kissed you. I learned a long time ago that when you love someone you hold on to them like a lifeline. You never know what could happen tomorrow. _

_ See you soon._

_ Steve_

_ PS—Here is my cell phone number and my address in DC. Feel free to _

_drop by anytime._

Marissa smiled and folded the letter in her pocket. She grabbed her cell phone from her pocket. She sent a quick text message to Steve and programmed his number into her contact list alongside Natasha, Clint, and Stark.

She was about to flip open her laptop when someone knocked on her door. Marissa extended her senses outward. "Quit hovering, Stark. I'm coming."

Tony was poised to knock again when she opened the door. "Super Spy, when did you slither in?"

"Fifteen minutes ago. I like slipping in unnoticed. Got a problem with that?"

"Little bit," Tony admitted. "Come on out, we were about to introduce Thor to the wonderful world of _Star Trek_. Want to join us?"

"Which series?"

"Does it really matter?"

"I really like the _Next Generation_," Marissa admitted. "I relate to Data and Counselor Troi."

"Really? Data, I can see, but Deanna Troi?"

"She's empathic. She can read people's emotions. Something I can do as well. And I am looking for my _Imzadi_."

"_Imzadi_?"

"Yes, a Betazoid term for 'my beloved.'"

"You surprise me, Super Spy. I never took you for a Trekkie."

"There is a lot you don't know about me, Stark," Marissa said with a smile, pushing past him.

District of Columbia

Later that day

Steve jogged around the reflecting pool of the Washington Monument. He needed to burn off the excess energy from the rather uncomfortable dream he'd had about Marissa. It was a dream that left him with—what was the colloquial term he'd heard Stark use once? A hard on, that was it.

A cold shower did little to alleviate his problem, as his thoughts went to those droplets of water pouring down Marissa's bare form. He could see those drops of water dripping off of her hair and down to her chest…

Darn. His sweat pants were getting uncomfortably tight again.

_Focus, Steve._ _One foot in front of the other. Left. Right. Left. Right._

"On your left!" he exclaimed to a group of tourist as he passed by at a fast jog around the Reflecting Pool.

He finished a seventh loop around the monument and was halfway through the eighth when his cell phone beeped. He smiled at the message.

_Since when did you learn how to use a cell phone?_

"Now, how do I text her back?" He asked himself, trying to remember what Natasha told him about his cell phone. "Press this key that looks like an envelope. Bring up the keyboard. Okay."

_Natasha showed me how to use one. Wish I had one of these earlier._

He hit the "send" key, and dropped his cell back in his pocket. He started jogging again.

_See you soon. We'll have that talk._

_Okay_, he texted back. He programmed Marissa's name and number in his cell phone and kept jogging.

He wanted to do more than talk, he thought as he sped up the pace. Darn, those thoughts were going down hill again.

It was going to be a long day.

Avengers Tower

That Same Night

_Marissa walked up to the guard rail and looked out at the scenery around her. The forest life was alive in the night. She could hear all kinds of howls from the wolves and the hoot of owls as they hunted for food._

"_It's a beautiful sight, isn't it?" Steve asked coming up behind her. He leaned against the guard rail, inches from her._

"_It is," she agreed._

"_The forest, too," Steve added turning sideways to look at her._

_Marissa groaned. "That's corny, you know."_

"_But it's true," Steve said taking her hand in his. _

_Marissa looked deep into his eyes, drinking in the desire that lay within. Before she could say anything else, he leaned in and captured her lips with his. She was surprised at first, but she felt her arms entwine around his neck, pulling him flush against her. She could feel every inch of him against her. His touch was setting her on fire._

_The howl of a wolf nearby broke their embrace. "Let's take this inside," Steve breathed against her cheek, dropping a feather light kiss there._

_Marissa felt her face flush with heat as she followed him inside. Before he could shut the door behind him, she was on him again, fusing her mouth to his._

_His hands brushed under her blouse to feel her back. He moved around to her sides before he started to work on the buttons. He gently pulled the blouse off her shoulders and moved to kiss her neck and trailed down to her chest._

_His able hands found the clasp of her bra…_

Marissa bolted awake from the dream, drenched in sweat and fully aroused by her erotic experience. _Damn_, why was she dreaming about a booty call with the Cap?

_Because you know you want to roll around in the sheets with him?_ her conscious taunted her. _And not because he's a target to seduce? _

"I don't want to use him. That wouldn't be right," she told herself as she threw the sheets off of her and padded to her bathroom. She pulled her sweaty pajamas off and took a quick shower, a very cold one to cool her aroused brain. She found a pair of shorts and a tank top to sleep in for the rest of the night.

Sleep eluded her for a while, thoughts churning about Steve and doing those naughty things she had dreamed about. Around two in the morning, she gave up and walked toward the common area.

She was pleasantly surprised to see that she wasn't the only one having trouble sleeping.

"Marissa?" Pepper Potts asked looking up from her laptop. "Can't sleep either?"

"No. Plagued by dreams," she admitted. "What about you, Pepper?"

"Tony. He woke in the middle of the night with some wild idea about experimenting with robots. He ran off to his lab, and I couldn't get back to sleep. I figured I'd get some work done while I was up."

"Great, he'll invent a robot that'll try and take over the world," Marissa groaned taking a seat next to Pepper.

"Dear God, I hope not!" Pepper exclaimed with a laugh. Then, she turned serious, putting her work aside. "Dare I ask what you were dreaming about that has kept you awake?"

Marissa felt sure she was blushing. "I really don't want to talk about it."

Pepper wasn't buying her deflection. "I know that look. You were dreaming about a certain man with a star spangled uniform and a shield?"

Marissa looked away, really not wanting to talk about her x-rated dreams with Pepper Potts.

"And they involved certain parts of his anatomy?"

"Pepper!" Marissa exclaimed. "You're very pushy; did anyone ever tell you that?"

"A time or two," she exclaimed victoriously. "So, you do have feelings for Captain America!"

"Yes, I care for Steve very much. I can't imagine what my life would be like without him." _You may have to, with Hydra breathing down your neck._

"Marissa, honey, that's more than care. You love him. You're _in _love with Steve. Does he feel the same way?"

"I know he does. That's the problem."

"Why?"

"Love makes you weak, Pepper. You can be taken advantage of, used as a tool to make someone suffer. I won't put Steve through that because I got too emotionally involved."

"I don't believe that for a second, Marissa Hermann. Look at Clint and Natasha. They are happier than I have ever seen them. Natasha gets a fierce gleam in her eye whenever someone or something threatens Clint. And Clint, he would strangle anyone who would threaten her. They lean on each other for strength. Love isn't weakness, Marissa. It makes you stronger, knowing that someone will always be there to support you, not just in battle, but life too."

"I wish I could believe that, Pepper," she said dejectedly. "Everything I have ever loved was taken from me. Even the sister I never knew existed was taken from me when I was a toddler. I don't even know if she's still alive."

"You'll get it eventually, Marissa. Steve will break through that barrier you keep around your heart. He loves you enough to keep trying no matter how much you resist."

"Maybe one day, he will," Marissa muttered. She rose from her position. "I'll think I'll just read awhile until I fall asleep." _Not likely._

She beat a hasty retreat back to her room before Pepper could break through her defenses again. She had given her a lot to think about as she settled back in her bed. Instead of reading, she picked up her laptop. She hacked her way into confidential personnel files and scanned through them for the information she needed to complete her mission for Hydra.

Information of Director Fury was buried deep, but she managed to find a birth certificate and an address from where he grew up. With that info in mind, she began setting up false trails and false accounts in several different banks all over the world before leading it to a house next to where Fury's mother lived when Secretary Pierce first met him.

The task took the rest of the night. Thoughts of Steve were temporarily pushed to the back burner as she worked to frame the man she respected and trusted for six years.

Author's Note: Yeesh, don't throw anything at me yet! By the way, who has seen the new movie? Awesome! Anyway, another chapter in the books. Now, we off we traipse back to that galaxy far, far away…


	6. Distractions

Argh! Someone should hog tie me to the computer until I finish this story! No inspiration, sad times on the home front kept me away from this story. I am determined to finish this story darn it! Okay, rant over. Here comes the next chapter…

Chapter Six:

Distractions

Coruscant

Same day

Mara was slowly growing restless. She had been cramped up in the _Falcon _for two days unable to think about anything other than her sister. Her sister! She was still unable to wrap her mind around the fact that she had a little sister.

Mara opened herself to the Force as much as her limited Jedi powers could extend. What did she look like? Did she remember her at all? What was her name? All she had was "Rissi." Was it a nickname? Mara could not remember.

An image rose before her senses. A woman sat at some strange computer. She had red gold hair a shade darker than her own. And the woman's eyes were like looking in a mirror.

_Rissi, can you hear me?_ She reached out, remembering her own ability to hear Palpatine's voice from anywhere in the galaxy. There were so many unknowns she wanted to answer.

_Rissi, it's your sister. Can you hear me?_

Nothing. Mara heard nothing as the vision faded away. Mara vaguely thought she saw the woman look up from her computer screen, but the image was fleeting.

Mara opened her eyes and was startled slightly to find Luke staring at her from the entrance way, a thoughtful look on his face.

"You were deep in thought there for a while, Mara. You okay?"

"Trying to sense my sister."

"She's light years away."

"Never mattered when Palpatine contacted me."

"Palpatine was an evil Son of a Hutt who manipulated a lot of people," Luke said vehemently.

"Wow, testy much, Skywalker?"

"One encounter with the man was enough," Luke admitted. "So, did you sense your sister?"

"I saw a vision of her I think. I saw her looking at some strange computer. She's definitely my sister," Mara said with a tight grin. "I tried to contact her via the Force. I don't know if she heard me or not."

"Her Force powers might not be as keen as yours," Luke suggested. "Stars, she might not even know she's Force sensitive at all."

"True."

"So, how are you coping with the fact that you have family out there after all? Think maybe she has some answers about what happened to your parents?"

"I doubt it. She was just a toddler when Palpatine and that red faced man took us." Mara paused. "It's so weird. I have a sister and I don't even know her name. Just 'Rissi.'"

"Well, my best friend turned out to be my twin, so I kind of understand what you're going through. She's probably just as curious about you as you are about her."

"If she even knows about me," Mara added. "If that red faced man was an iota like Palpatine…"

"Yeah," Luke agreed.

"So," Mara began after a moment of silence. "Why'd you come down here to see me?"

"I just wanted to see if you were up for a lesson in the Force?"

"Anything to break the monotony."

"All right. Let's go to the cargo hold and work on some focusing techniques."

"Okay…" Mara drew out. "Such as?"

"How about healing?"

"Sounds very boring."

"Meditation?"

Mara gave him an evil glare.

"Combat?"

"Now you're talking my speed."

"Hold on a nanosecond," Luke cautioned. "I know you're an excellent hand to hand fighter. I want you to be able to fight when you can't see your opponent. Just use your senses."

"Bring it on, Skywalker."

Luke produced a blindfold from his pocket. "I'm going to put this on you."

Mara tensed a little as the blindfold went over her eyes. She felt a surge of heat as Luke's fingers touched her face.

"Can you see me?"

"No."

"How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Skywalker!"

"Okay, I get it. You're blind as a Corellian bat."

"Now, reach out and try to anticipate what I am going to do and counter me. Ready?"

Mara nodded, falling into the Force. Luke's presence was a shining beacon in the darkness. So bright and warm. She put herself in a defensive stance and waited.

Her danger sense flared, like an electric current down her spine. She dodged to the left, felt the air from Luke's punch millimeters from her cheek.

"Good. Keep going."

Mara felt him move behind her, so she found herself circling around, trying to match him tit for tat.

She barely made the jump in time to keep Luke from kicking her feet out from under her. She bent her knees to keep from buckling. Then, she dodged quickly to keep Luke from running into her.

"Okay," she heard him say. "You can sense me just fine. We've just established that. Now, you try to find me and throw a punch or two at me."

"Try?" Mara quipped. "I thought Jedi didn't try."

"Poor choice of words."

"Right," Mara deadpanned. She reached out again, this time as a predator on the hunt.

She lashed out to the side, felt the air as Luke dodged her.

"Come on, Jade. You can better than that," Luke egged her.

Mara grimaced and lashed out again to the left.

Missed again.

"Focus, Mara. You can do this. Dig deeper into the Force."

Mara focused on Luke's presence. Everything else faded away but him. Luke moved towards her. She waited and shoved him out of the way at the last minute.

"Now we know how you react when push comes to shove," Luke quipped.

Mara punched him in the shoulder hard.

"Hey! Are you sure you can't see through that blindfold?"

"Positive."

"Wanna go again?"

Mara grinned tightly and threw another punch at Luke. They continued for another hour until they were both exhausted.

Mara pulled the blindfold off from her eyes. "Thanks for that. I needed the distraction," she panted.

"I figured you did," Luke said. "You have been so focused on finding your sister that you couldn't focus on anything. That what this was all about; shifting your focus elsewhere."

"Still, I needed that."

Luke tossed a water bottle at her. "So, you said you thought you saw your sister. What did she look like?"

"Her hair was a shade darker than my own. Her eyes were exactly like mine. It was like looking at myself three or four years ago. I wonder if she lived a similar life style to mine. Did she have any friends? Someone who loved her?"

"Well hopefully you'll get some answers," Luke said. He stepped closer to her. "I know one thing. She's lucky to have a sister like you. If she is anything like you, she will be a force to reckon with once she gets riled up."

"A quick temper and untrusting, but once you've earned her trust; you've got a friend for life?"

Luke was inches from her. "A very beautiful person inside and out."

Mara took a step back. "Do you really think that?"

"Yes. You are a very beautiful woman."

"Thanks. I think."

"I mean it, Mara," Luke said, taking her hand. "Any man would give their hind teeth to wake up next to you every morning."

Mara was keenly aware of Luke's hand in hers. "Even you?" she half joked.

"Even me," Luke breathed. His face was inches from hers.

Mara stopped breathing for a second. Was he going to?

The door swept open, breaking the moment. "Hey you two," Han said. "We're about to come out of hyperspace. You might want to strap in."

"Yeah," Luke said, releasing Mara's hand. "Ladies first?"

"Stuff it, Skywalker," she huffed walking in front of him and brushing past Han without a word.

"Did I interrupt something?" she heard him ask Luke.

She didn't hear Luke's answer. She took a seat behind Leia in the cockpit, marveling at how cold and empty she felt without Luke's presence.

It baffled her.

"Mara, are you okay?" Leia asked, turning her head to look at her.

"Fine," Mara said.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"No."

"Okay."

Mara felt the warmth return seconds before Luke sat down beside her in the cockpit.

Why was her comfort so dependent on Luke's presence all of a sudden?

Luke shot a concerned look her way.

_Drop it, Skywalker!_ she sent his way with a glare.

Luke focused his attention back to the viewport.

_Damn Skywalker twins and their keen senses_.

Author's Note: Woo wee, the heat's ratcheting up a few more notches in here! For those of you who are still following this story, thanks for your patience. Don't worry, our sisters will meet soon. Just wait until you see what I have created. On another note, Happy _Star Wars_ day everyone. May the Fourth be with you!


	7. Revelations

Ouch, another lengthy absence. Sorry about that guys. Lost my inspiration a bit there. After a mini marathon of Star Wars and the Marvel movies/ Agents of SHIELD, I have it back. So, here we go, the next chapter.

Chapter Seven

Revelations

Triskelion

Washington, DC

Marissa focused on the weights in front of her. A five pound weight rose in the air. She kept it steady, steady. She tried to make it turn in the air.

_Rissi, can you hear me?_ She heard in her head.

The weight dropped to the floor, nearly pummeling her foot. "What?"

_Rissi, it's your sister. Can you hear me?_ That voice again. Her sister was trying to contact her in her mind?

Marissa tried to focus on that voice. "I hear you," she whispered softly. "Where are you?"

No answer. Was she just imagining the contact? Marissa didn't think so, but she wasn't going to dwell on the matter. She focused on the weight again.

"You know weights are meant to be lifted, right?" Brock Rumlow, one of Steve's STRIKE commandos, joked as he past.

"Really?" Marissa quipped, using her mind to lift the weight level with his face. "Thought never crossed my mind."

"Okay. Have a good workout, then," Rumlow said as he eyed the weight for a second, then walked off.

She let the dumbbell drop softly onto the floor. She looked for something else to lift when she sensed a very familiar presence. Steve, she thought with a smile. He was at the entrance way, scanning the gym. He made a beeline for her.

"Hey Cap. Looking for me?"

"Marissa," he nodded. "I was looking for you. I saw that encounter with Rumlow."

"That was funny. Got a minute or two?"

"Yeah."

Marissa took his hand and led him to an isolated corner of the gymnasium. She sat down on a broken bench press machine. Steve sat down next to her.

"I know things have been awkward with us. I know you care for me very deeply. You know I considered you a very close and dear friend."

"Of course. I told you—showed you—in the Avengers Tower how I felt about you. And you pushed me away. I'm not going to push you anymore."

"I know Steve. When you left, I couldn't sleep. I found Pepper in the living room. She and I had a long talk. I was taught that attachment to someone is weakness, a tool to be exploited. No emotions or attachments should get in the way of your mission. The mission is everything. Pepper explained that the love Tasha and Clint have for each other makes them stronger, empowers them to fight harder."

"They are very happy with each other," Steve agreed with her.

"She challenged me to take a look at my own situation. How do I feel when you're not with me? How do I feel when you're with me? How I felt when I saw you on TV fighting the Chitauri in New York?"

"What conclusion did you come to when you thought about it?"

"I nearly freaked out when you were fighting the Chitauri. I knew the next strike was going to take you out. I breathed a sigh of relief every time I saw you come out unscathed. I was terrified for you, Steve, for all of you, but especially you. When I thought you might die, my whole world collapsed. A piece of me would have died with you. I didn't know how to react to that. I was confused, and I lashed out because I was angry."

"I can understand that."

"I didn't want you to be taken from me, too. My parents were killed when I was a baby. The people who took me in died in a car crash when I was five. My sister, that I didn't even know I had, was torn from me. Everyone I have ever loved has been taken from me. I don't want to lose you, too, Steve."

Steve took her hand in his. "I can't promise you won't lose me, Marissa. I will promise to fight like the devil to stay by your side."

"I know that," she said with a grin. "I don't know if this is love, but I'm willing to give it a try." She squeezed his hand. "No matter what happens, I'm with you. You're stuck with me, Cap."

"That's good. You're kinda stuck with me, too." Then Steve leaned in and kissed her softly.

Marissa relished the feel of his lips. Her free hand snaked around his neck, drawing him closer. She wanted to feel more of him, taste more of him.

His tongue swept across her mouth, asking for access. She moved to let him in.

The beeping of her cell phone broke the moment.

"Damn," she exclaimed, breaking the kiss. She looked down at her cell phone.

_A jet is waiting to fly you to the Hub in three hours. Further instructions in flight._

"What a way to ruin the moment," she sighed, closing her cell phone.

"Mission?"

"I leave for the Hub in three hours. Walk me to my quarters?"

"I'd be honored to, my lady." Steve took her hand in his again. He helped her up from the bench and walked out of the gym with her.

"Always a gentleman," Marissa laughed.

"So, the Hub, huh?" Steve asked, walking with her. "Ever been there before?"

"Never. You?"

"Once. It's a very impressive, big building. Not like the Triskelion."

"Should be interesting. I don't even know what my mission is yet." _For Hydra._

"I've had a few missions like that." They reached her temporary quarters. "Want some company while you pack?"

"Are you that bored?" Marissa joked.

"Never too bored to spend time in good company," he replied with a cheeky grin.

Marissa punched him in the shoulder.

"So, do you have any guesses what your mission is?" Steve asked as Marissa grabbed a duffel bag.

"Fly to the Hub? Can't be anything good."

"Take down an international arms dealer?" Steve speculated.

"Assassinate an evil scientist?"

"Intercept intelligence?"

"Recover stolen goods?"

"Buy Director Fury a new eye patch?"

"Yeah, that sounds like a matter of national security," Marissa laughed. "Whatever the mission is, I'll get it done, so I can come back to you."

"So you like my company too?"

"I told you, Cap. You're stuck with me." Marissa grinned. She grabbed her katana and added it to her bag. She grabbed clothes, including a certain gag gift Natasha and Clint gave her for her birthday.

"You still have that shirt?" Steve asked with a laugh.

"I happen to like it," she replied with a shrug as she pulled her uniform from the closet. In it went as well. "Reminds me of you." She put her laptop in as well. She zipped up her bag.

Marissa walked to the desk and grabbed her SHIELD badge. She put it in her pocket. Finally, she opened the drawer and grabbed her weapons. Her Glock went at her side, and her combat knife in her boot. "All set, and I still have two hours to go. Any suggestions?" She moved closer to him.

"This is good."

"Just talking?" She was inches from him.

Steve backed up, tripping and landing on the bed. He sat up quickly, noticeably swallowing. Marissa grinned mischievously.

"Talking is good," Steve managed to say.

"What about this?" Marissa said as she neatly sat down on his lap and kissed him.

Heat protruded her senses, filling her with a euphoria that made her drunk with desire. She needed to feel more of Steve, taste more of him. Her arms circled his neck and beckoned him closer.

She was vaguely aware of Steve's arms around her waist, tracing little lines of electricity all up her spine. Her brain turned to mush as they pulled away from each other.

"Keep that up and you'll miss your jet to the Hub," Steve breathed, holding her close to him.

Marissa could feel the rapid tattoo of his heart against her forehead. "I know. Maybe we should just stick to conversation of the verbal variety."

"Yeah. Director Fury would kill you if you missed your mission to allocate a new eye patch for him," Steve joked, sending Marissa into fits of laughter.

"Can't let that happen," she answered, disentangling herself from Steve and sitting at the desk chair.

After a moment of silence and staring into space, Marissa looked at Steve. "So, see any good movies lately?"

Steve grinned. "Well, I just watched the first _Hunger Games_ movie."

"What did you think about it?"

Steve and Marissa talked about movies until she left for the Hub.

One hour into the flight, Marissa received her instructions. The video communications panel chimed. "This is Agent Hermann," she answered.

"Enigma! So good to see you again.!" John Garrett, the last man Marissa expected as Hydra, greeted her. "I knew your defection from Hydra was all an act. Ready to deal a fatal blow to SHIELD?"

"Of course. What are my orders?"

"Nick knows that SHIELD has been compromised by Hydra. He just doesn't know how high up we go. You are going to give Agent Victoria Hand an encrypted note identifying Secretary Pierce as Hydra. Then, you will personally send out the message for Hydra to come out of the shadows."

"And afterwards, do I come out of the shadows as well?"

"No, Enigma. You keep your cover as long as you can. You are close to the Avengers. Our perfect mole in Fury's choice team of superheroes. You will know when it is time to reveal your true nature."

"I understand. What is my cover?"

"You are there because the scientists who worked on your blood when you joined SHIELD have questions for you about the organism that lives in it. I am certain you have questions yourself."

"That is actually true. Sometimes, I sense that these organisms in my blood talk to me. Lead me on the right path. It's weird, but I do not let it bother me. I will do my job."

"Good. I will see you soon," Garrett replied. "Hail Hydra."

"Hail Hydra," Marissa echoed. She ended the transmission. "Great, just great."

She sat down to work on her encoded message to Agent Victoria Hand. She grabbed a tablet and wrote out her template for Vigenére's cipher. She quickly wrote a brief message then fought for a codeword to use to encrypt her note.

"Enigma," she finally said as she wrote her code name repeatedly under her message. Then, she used her cipher template to encode the message.

From Enigma:

Nhaz weeevlp Sip. Xoqrgr qy Uyhei. Nkhvn zkmclra ozts ntr xezsty af WUQKXD. Rb akorjga ymfj.

"Now, we just have to wait," she said to herself. She walked up to the cockpit. "How much longer until we reach the Hub?"

"About three hours, ma'am," the pilot answered.

"Enough time for a nap. Thanks."

"Yes, ma'am."

_I hate being called "ma'am,"_ Marissa thought disgustedly to herself as she strapped herself into her seat and closed her eyes. Thoughts of a man in a star spangled uniform plagued her as she drifted off.

The quinjet took a sharp angle downward, rousing Marissa from her slumber. She immediately knew that they were entering restricted airspace. They had to follow a specific flight pattern or risk retaliatory action from the Hub.

"Rise and shine Sleepyhead," the pilot joked as he took another sharp banking turn.

"If I had anything to throw at you right now, I would," Marissa glared at him as she tightened her flight restraints.

"I'm sure you would," the pilot joked. "Air control, this is Quinjet Alpha 985 requesting clearance to land."

"Quinjet Alpha 985, transmit clearance code on channel three," a crisp male voice answered.

Marissa reached out with her mind, catching a sense of the terrain around her. The Hub was alive with minds focused on their job. There was a sense of urgency and efficiency to the environment, a true desire to protect the world. There were also a few vibrations of deception, and something more sinister laced underneath.

Great, Hydra was here as well. Marissa focused back on the situation at hand as the jet made a soft landing. She quickly grabbed her bag and her katana.

A lone agent was waiting for her when she disembarked. "Agent Hermann, codename Enigma. I have heard a lot about you. I'm Agent Victoria Hand, Station Chief. Welcome to the Hub."

"Thank you for meeting me, Agent Hand," Marissa replied as she slung her bag over her shoulder. "So, I understand that some of the scientists have questions about the strange microorganism in my bloodstream?"

"Yes, indeed. One agent in particular, Agent Simmons wants to study samples of your blood."

"Is she here at the Hub?"

"She's on her way in." Agent Hand stopped. "I have heard of your abilities to detect lies. Are you aware that there is a mole in SHIELD?"

"I suspected because I could sense deception around me. You just confirmed my suspicions ma'am."

"Good. I want you to help me find the mole while you're working with the scientists here. Your abilities make you uniquely qualified to help."

"It's a deal, Agent Hand."

"Your cooperation is appreciated, thank you."

Marissa grinned. "I'll get started immediately. I'll use old school methods when I find something."

Hand nodded then walked off to a different part of the Hub.

Marissa watched her for a moment and then turned to find her way to the barracks. She focused on making her presence as small as possible. She smiled as she walked past two agents who didn't as much as glance her direction.

She stopped as she sensed a familiar presence. _No way, he's dead. _Marissa o kept walking, but the presence got stronger and closer. _I'm imagining things._ She kept walking. _No, I have to find out if I'm right_. She made her way towards the presence. It got stronger and stronger.

"Son of a bitch!" she gasped to herself. "He is alive!" In her shock, she lost concentration and she found herself staring at a ghost.

"Hello, Agent Hermann," Phil Coulson greeted her with a grin.

"Agent Coulson," Marissa greeted. "You look awfully well for a dead man."

"I'll take that as a compliment, Marissa."

Marissa felt the anger bubble up. "I saw the video. Loki stabbed you in the heart. How the hell are you still alive?"

"You don't want to know, Agent Hermann." Coulson grinned again. "I am glad to know you still care about me."

The anger bubbled away for now. "I'll accept that for now, Coulson. I'll see you later?"

"I would like that very much."

Marissa walked away.

"Can this day get any stranger?" she asked herself.

Author's Note:

Hello, we are getting into Cap 2 now. Hydra is about to drop the hammer on SHIELD and worlds are about to collide. What will happen now? Tune in next time.


End file.
